The All Blacks bounced back from their record defeat to South Africa with a 33–24 win over Australia at Eden Park, sealing another year of Bledisloe Cup dominance. Here are the big talking points.
Roigard Rises
Cam Roigard marked his return from injury with two tries and a sparkling display at scrum-half. His speed of service and clever snipes gave the All Blacks rhythm and width. Caleb Clarke, inspired by his father Eroni’s pre-match anthem performance, opened the scoring, while Leroy Carter also touched down.
Finishers Seal the Deal
Quinn Tupaea led a strong bench effort that steadied New Zealand when Australia threatened another famous comeback. The All Blacks’ depth proved the difference late on.
Defence Wins It
New Zealand’s tackle efficiency was outstanding — 93% with just 12 misses. Australia were brave but brittle, missing 39 tackles from 232 attempts and leaking 437 post-contact metres. It was the stat that told the story.
Ruck Trouble for Razor
Despite the win, New Zealand’s breakdown discipline was poor. Repeated penalties for sloppy clear-outs and sealing robbed them of continuity. Ardie Savea stood out with his turnovers and carrying, but the error count will worry Scott Robertson ahead of the return leg on October 4.
Wallaby Halfback Headache
Australia’s injury woes continued with Tate McDermott limping off early. Debutant Ryan Lonergan improved as the game wore on, but James O’Connor’s struggles at fly-half were costly. His wayward kicking repeatedly handed momentum back to New Zealand.
The Verdict
This was classic Test rugby: fast, physical, and tense to the finish. Roigard’s comeback lit up Eden Park, while New Zealand’s defence and bench strength proved decisive. For Australia, the fight was there — but old flaws in discipline, defence, and direction left them second best again.
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